Students in health courses at Lawton Public Schools Life Ready Center are gaining more than knowledge about life-saving procedures — they are obtaining their Basic Life Support certification proving they can save a life.
Two first responders from Altus Fire Department visited Mona Bevington’s patient care class to reinforce what the students had learned and been practicing this semester. The paramedics showed students videos demonstrating CPR techniques and then it was the students turn to give CPR to mannequins.
Ryan Upchurch, Altus paramedic, stressed the importance of CPR being done on a hard surface, rather than a bed. Therefore, students were instructed to place their mannequins on the floor, where they locked their elbows and started chest compressions.
That task completed, students were instructed to do two-person CPR using a bag and mask. Students had to fit a mask securely over the nose and mouth of a mannequin before squeezing a bag to get air into the mannequin’s chest.
“It feels awkward. It’s not hard to get the mask in the right position. It is hard to get the head in the right position,” Ava Fogel said as she worked on her mannequin. Fogel said she would like to work in labor and delivery in a hospital. “In every setting, you probably have to do CPR at least once,” she said.
Kenecia Washington, who was struggling with getting the mask on the mannequin just right, said using the equipment was new to her.
“You have to accurately lift the chin,” she said after tilting the head back too far. She said she plans to go into radiology or be a respiratory therapist and will need to know how to do CPR.
Although demonstrating how to do CPR correctly is a graduation requirement, Bevington said it means more than that to her students. Students in the health care field need the certification before taking more classes or entering the job market. Since the students are enrolled in health care classes, they will be able to obtain the Basic Life Support cards for free.
“It opens up your employability,” Bevington said.